Chronic: Rockets appear ready to launch from 3-point range

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4243616.html


The Rockets are hoping additions such as Steve Novak will bolster the team's shooting.

Rockets appear ready to launch
Adding shooters to mix should help 3-point percentage

AUSTIN - Suddenly, Juwan Howard felt as if he could fly.

He looked around him as his second-team unit was rolling against the Rockets' first team. He played the power forward-center position so in vogue. He marveled at the marksmanship and quick triggers around him. He watched John Lucas, Casey Jacobsen, Steve Novak and Scott Padgett fire 3s when he happily got the Suns in his eyes.

"We kind of dominated the white team," Howard said. "I told the guys, 'You know what, I feel like Amare Stoudemire out there.' "

Howard did clarify that he is not quite as "explosive" as Stoudemire.

"I don't have the 45-inch vertical," Howard said. "I'm working on that."

The Rockets would not mind if he masters that, but for now, they are hoping they have collected enough sharpshooters to provide the 3-point shooting reminiscent of the NBA's top-scoring, and more to the point, best-shooting team.

The Rockets were 27th in the NBA last season in 3-point shooting (making 33.2 percent).

To repair that, they have brought in a gang of players who can be considered shooters, so much so that while Howard felt like Stoudemire, Tracy McGrady was ready to be part point guard, part offensive coordinator.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, the way I play and all the attention teams like to give me when I handle the ball and come off pick-and-rolls, those guys are standing out there just wide-open," McGrady said. "I do all the work for them. I do the work. They can sit out there, twiddle their thumbs and wait out there until they shoot the ball. What a job they have on the offensive end. Ain't that something.

"Talent with great shooting as well — that's what we were lacking last season. To have that is great for me, to know I can have some freedom to get in the paint and the defense is going to clog it up and I believe in my shooters to know they're comfortable enough and confident enough to knock down shots. It should be an interesting year."

Numbers game

This was the idea when the Rockets added Kirk Snyder, Lucas and Jacobsen to the backcourt; Shane Battier, Novak and Padgett to the frontcourt. But as entertaining and encouraging as teammates found all that new shooting to be during training camp, there is no certainty of how many of the new shooters would make the team, much less take a place in the rotation.

"We want to put on the floor as many 3-pointers around Tracy and Yao (Ming) as we can, if we're able to still defend and rebound," coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "You can't sacrifice one for the other. You have to find your best grouping."

As much as perimeter shooting has always been useful, it has become increasingly vital — and the Rockets' shortcomings increasingly glaring — with rule changes and interpretations.

When zones were allowed, illegal defense rules could no longer force defenders out to opposing 3-point lines, taking them away from low-post double teams and help on ball penetration. Poor-shooting big men who could crash the boards or cut to the rim no longer helped. But beyond that change, last season's move to prohibit hand checks and grabbing to slow ballhandlers made the shooting threats around them increasingly valuable.

"There's a lot more freedom of movement," Battier said. "The defensive player is really at a disadvantage now in terms of limiting the offensive player's move. You see a lot more penetration. Those guys can get to the hole more. But guys (defensively) are a lot more athletic so they (offensive players) can't always finish so there are a lot more kick-outs to wide-open, 3-point shooters. You see the good teams have players that can knock those down."

Shooting was an issue

That logic brought Battier to the Rockets, beginning the summer collecting shooters.

"It's not just our team, it's probably most teams," Van Gundy said. "Shooters are at a premium.

"That's why I like John Lucas. He's a midget. He's got some other issues, but the guy can really shoot. Novak's got issues, but he can really shoot. Padgett has some things he does well and not so well, but he can shoot and make quick decisions with the ball. Battier, he doesn't have issues. If you have issues with Battier, you have issues."

The trick will be getting them to do other things well enough to get on the court. Then Rafer Alston might feel like Steve Nash.